1/5 Shadow of John Wayne's Struggle to Find Stardom He Deserved
  by J.T.J., an Author (Renton, WA United States)
It is difficult to favorably review an old movie serial such as this. "Shadow of the Eagle" barely deserves to be cited as a work of that greatest of movie star heroes, John Wayne, yet films such as this one in fact were key elements in prepping him for stardom. This is exactly the sort of film that served as an action/adventure training ground for Duke Wayne. No, there is no outstanding art in this production. This film has cheapness written all over it. Is it entertaining? Measurably, the answer is yes. Why wouldn't we enjoy great fistfights between the likes of John Wayne, and a villain like stunt expert Yakima Canutt (who plays one of the henchmen, Boyle)? Serials were designed to deliver lots of action, and this one is no exception. In attempting to put myself into the shoes of audiences back in 1932 I am sure that they had few complaints about "Shadow." I will not say it is among the best serials, however. The producers were so parsimonious that they hardly produced a music score. You are treated to pipe organ carnival music over the chapter title cards. Most of the acting performances are so lame that John Wayne comes across as a Thespian by comparison. As for film restoration, it is so-so. The picture quality is quite good for an old black and white serial. The sound restoration is below average. I had to keep cranking up the volume on my tv set. This is a film for people who love old time movie serials, or those attempting to collect anything John Wayne appeared in. For the former, I think this one is below average. However, I am fascinated in seeing the progressive evolution of John Wayne as the greatest action star who ever lived. I am one of those folks collecting John Wayne films, so I was quite happy to add it to my library. Heck, it is still better than seeing John Wayne play second fiddle to Colonel Tim McCoy in "Texas Cyclone."

5/5 "Cliffhanger Collection (1932-33) ... John Wayne ... Passport Video"
  by J. Lovins (Missouri-USA)
Passport Video and Koch Entertainment Distribution present "The John Wayne Cliffhanger Collection" (1932/33)
(Dolby digitally remastered)...relive those thrilling days from the early '30s and '40s
when John Wayne took us up into the skies to exciting
adventures....some of the best cliffhangers ever to grace the Saturday Matinee
Screen...just remember double thrills, chills, mystery and suspense...hitting the bull's eye
with excitement...don't miss any of the John Wayne features loaded with action that will leave
you wanting more of his high adventures

First up is "SHADOW OF THE EAGLE" (1932 - B&W) (12 Chapters), under director Ford Beebe, produced by Nat Levine, original screenplay & story by Colbert Clark, Wyndham Gittens and Forbe Beebe....the cast include John Wayne (Craig McCoy), Dorothy Gulliver( Jean Gregory), Edward Hearn (Col. Nathan B. Gregory), Richard Tucker (Maj. Evans, company owner), Lloyd Whitlock (Green, a director), Walter Miller (Danby, a director ), Edmund Burns (Clark, a director), Pat O'Malley (Ames, a director), Kenneth Harlan (Ward, a director), Little Billy' Rhodes (Billy Little, the midget), Ivan Linow (Heinie, the strongman), James Bradbury Jr. (Henry, the ventriloquist), Ernie Adams (Frederick 'Pat' Kelly, the barker), Roy D'Arcy (Henchman Gardner), Bud Osborne (Henchman Tim Moore), YakimaCanutt (Henchman Boyle), Billy West (Bob, the clown ), Monte Montague (Callahan, Policeman at circus).......our story has seversal questions will The Eagle use sky writing to make threats against a corporation...can Edward Hearn who owns a travelling fairground and is thought to be the Eagle succeed in his evil plot against all that is good...will John Wayne who is a pilot go searching for the Eagle when Hearn's turns up missing....all of this and more await your viewing pleasure in a 12 Chapter Mascot Pictures thrilling serial adventure that is action packed. . . . . . . Special footnote, actor John Wayne once said, "Every country in the world loved the folklore of the West - the music, the dress, the excitement, everything that was associated with the opening of a new territory. It took everybody out of their own little world - The cowboy lasted a hundred years, created more songs and prose and poetry than any other folk figure - The closest thing was the Japanese samurai. Now, I wonder who'll continue it...His performance as Ethan Edwards in "The Searchers" (1956) is ranked #23 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time...Of his many film roles, his personal favorite was that of Ethan Edwards from The Searchers (1956). Wayne even went so far as to name his son Ethan after that character...The inscription on the Congressional Gold Medal awarded to him in 1979 reads, simply, "John Wayne, American."...After meeting the late Superman star Christopher Reeve at the 1979 Academy Awards, Wayne turned to Cary Grant and said "This is our new man. He's taking over."...Turned down the role of Marshal Dillon on "Gunsmoke" (1955) because he did not want to commit to a weekly TV series. He recommended his friend James Arness for the role, and gave the on camera introduction in the pilot episode...I would like to be remembered, well...the Mexicans have a phrase, 'Feo fuerte y formal'. Which means; he was ugly, strong and had dignity."

Chapter Titles:
1. The Carnival Mystery
2. Pinholes
3. The Eagle Strikes
4. The Man of a Million Voices
5. The Telephone Cipher
6. Code of the Carnival
7. Eagle or Vulture?
8. On the Spot
9. When Thieves Fall Out
10.The Man Who Knew
11.The Eagle's Wings
12.The Shadow Unmasked

SPECIAL FEATURES:
BIOS:
1. John Wayne (aka: Marion Michael Morrison)
Birth Date: 5/26/1907 - Winterset, Iowa
Died: 6/11/1979 - Los Angeles, California

Second film on the bill is "HURRICANE EXPRESS" (1932 - B&W) (12 Chapters), under director's J.P. McGowan and Armand Schaefer, produced by Nat Levine, original screenplay & story by Colbert Clark, Wyndham Gittens, J.P. McGowan, George Moran, Barney A. Sarecky and Harold Tarshis, musical score by Lee Zahler....the cast include John Wayne (Larry Baker), Tully Marshall (Howard L. Edwards, Railroad manager), Conway Tearle (Stevens, Railroad attorney),Shirley Grey (Gloria Stratton), Edmund Breese (Frank Stratton, Gloria's father), Lloyd Whitlock, (Walter Gray, Airline manage), Al Bridge (Carlson, Plainville station agent (as Alan Bridge), Matthew Betz (Tom Jordan, Railroad engineer (as Mathew Betz), Joseph W. Girard (Det. Matthews (as Joseph Girard), James P. Burtis (Det. Hemingway, Matthews, assistant (as James Burtis), Ernie Adams (Henchman Barney, Machine gunner (as Ernie S. Adams), Charles King (Henchman Mike), J. Farrell MacDonald (Jim Baker, Railroad engineer), Al Ferguson (Henchman Sandy, The "Wrecker's" pilot),Glenn Strange (Henchman Jim), Victor Adamson (Train passenger), Yakima Canutt (Henchman ), Eddie Parker (Co-pilot), Fred 'Snowflake' Toones (Sam, the Train porter)........our story opens with a villain known as "The Wrecker" who wrecks only the L & R Railroad trains...who is this evil character and why is he doing this...can John Wayne see through his many disguises, will this evildoers be stopped...don't touch that dial until the final chapter "Unmasked". . . . . .veterans character actors appear as the henchmen Ernie Adams, Charlie King, Glenn Strange and Al Ferguson. . . . . .check out this and more in a new book "Best of the Badmen" by Boyd Magers, Bob Nareau and Bobby Copeland, available from Amazon and Empire Publishing. . . pick up your copy today. . . . .another great serial from Mascot Pictures, proves to be one of Wayne's most exciting performances.

Chapter Titles:
1. The Wrecker
2. Flying Pirates
3. The Masked Menace
4. Buried Alive
5. Danger Lights
6. The Airport Mystery
7. Sealed Lips
8. Outside the Law
9. The Invincible Army
10. The Wrecker's Secret
11. Wings of Death
12. Unmasked

SPECIAL FEATURES:
BIOS:
1. Glenn Strange (aka: George Glenn Strange)
Birth Date: 8/16/1899 - Weed, New Mexico
Died: 9/20/1973 - Los Angeles, California
2. Charles King
Birth Date: 2/21/1895 - Hillsboro. Texas
Died: 5/07/1957 - Hollywood, California
3. Al Ferguson
Birth Date:4/19/1888 - Rosslare, County Wexford, Ireland
Died: 12/04/1971 - Long Beach, Long Island, New York,
4. Ernie Adams
Birth Date: 6/18/1895 - San Francisco, California
Died: 11/26/1947 - Hollywood, California

Final serial is "THE THREE MUSKETEERS" (1933 - B&W) (12 Chapters), under directors Colbert Clark and Armand Schaefer, produced by Nat Levine, screenplay and story by Colbert Clark, Bennett Cohen, Alexandre Dumas, Wyndham Gittens, Norman S. Hall and Barney A. Sarecky, musical score by Lee Zahler...the cast include John Wayne (Lt. Tom Wayne), Jack Mulhall (Clancy), Raymond Hatton (Renard), Ralph Bushman (Schmidt (as Francis X. Bushman Jr.), Ruth Hall (Elaine Corday), Lon Chaney Jr. (Lt. Armand Corday as Creighton Chaney), Hooper Atchley (El Kadur), Gordon De Main (Col. Duval), Robert Frazer (Major Booth), Noah Beery Jr. (Noah Stubbs), Al Ferguson (Ali), Edward Peil Sr. (Ratkin (as Edward Piel) William Desmond (Capt. Boncour), George Magrill (El Maghreb), Robert Warwick (Col. Brent), Yakima Canutt (El Shaitan, when masked/Legion Officer), Frank Ellis (Legionnaire), Kermit Maynard (Legionnaire). . . . . .our story is a good one from the pages of Alexandre Dumas, only this time set in the Arabian desert...our hero John Wayne does it all rescues Jack Mulhall, Raymond Hatton and Ralph Bushman, although Wayne has fourth billing and must prove himself throughout the 12 Chapters...the action is non stop and a physical film all through the perfected stunts of ace stuntman Yakima Canutt, who also trained Wayne to do most of his own stunts in this adventure...will the musketeers stop El Shaitan (who spouts "Death to the unbeliever") who is terrorizing the entire Mascot Picture lot....don't miss a single chapter of this exciting 1933 cliffhanger. . . . . special footnote, one of my favorite character actors was Raymond Hatton (1887-1971) who worked with Buck Jones, Tim McCoy and Johnny Mack Brown as Marshall Sandy Hopkins appeared from 1943 and made 45 films for Monogram Pictures...Hatton who first appeared on film in "Tragic Love" (1909-Silent/unconfirmed), "Oliver Twist" (1917), "The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923), "The Squaw Man" (1931), "Law and Order" (1932)...during the '30s & '40s he played the comical sidekick for Johnny Mack Brown and Bob Livingston...went on to join Buck Jones and Tim McCoy in the "Rough Riders" series...Hatton worked right up to his last film "In Cold Blood" (1967). . . ...check out this and more in a new book "Those Great Cowboy Sidekicks" by David Rothel, available from Amazon and Empire Publishing. . . pick up your copy today

Chapter Titles:
1. The Fiery Circle
2. One For All and All For One
3. The Master Spy
4. Pirates of the Desert
5. Rebel Rifles
6. Death's Marathon
7. Naked Steel
8. The Master Strikes
9. The Fatal Cave
10. Trapped
11. The Measure of Man
12. The Glory of Comrades

SPECIAL FEATURES:
BIOS:
1. Raymond Hatton
Birth Date: 7/07/1887 - Red Oak, Iowa
Died: 10/21/1971 - Palmdale, California
2. Jack Mulhall (aka: John Joseph Francis Mulhall)
Birth Date:10/07/1887 - Wappingers Falls, New York
Died: 6/01/1979 - Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California

BONUS FEATURE:
1. Hollywood Remembers: John Wayne - a tribute to the film career of the Duke (25 mins)

Great job by Passport Video for releasing "The John Wayne Cliffhanger Collection (1932/33), the digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage serial era of the '20s, '30s & '40s...order your copy now from Amazon or Passport Video where there are plenty of copies available on DVD, stay tuned once again for top notch action mixed with deadly adventure...just the way we like 'em

Total Time: 700 mins on 6-DVD's ~ Passport Video DVD #5890 ~ (7/11/2006)

5/5 The Duke Did It First!...
  by L. Shirley (fountain valley, ca United States)
"Shadow Of The Eagle"(1932)

Okay, we all love the scene in "North By Northwest" in which Cary Grant is being chased across a field by the crop duster plane. It is a nail biting, edge of your seat scene, and we want to yell, "Look out Cary, it's coming back at you!" I would never take anything away from that class act, but fans of The Duke, may remember that he did it first about 27 years earlier, in this wonderful mystery/serial. And not only was he being chased by a stunt plane, but was carrying an injured woman in his strong arms at the same time!!! That's our guy, even early on, quite the hero.

"Shadow of the Eagle" is a real treat for John Wayne fans. It's runs about 3 hours, and the action and adventure, the mystery and suspense is non stop. Wayne plays Craig McCoy, a stunt pilot and is part of a traveling fair. When a mysterious pilot known as The Eagle", starts making murderous threats with sky-writing, our guy jumps into action to try and find this villain. Suspect everyone, suspect no one, as for 3 hours, the upper hand and evidence jumps back and forth between the bad guys and the good guys. Keep in mind this was an originally a 12 chapter serial, so each chapter may be considered a kind of cliff hanger.

What is most fun about the story is that all the performers of the traveling fair get involved in one way or another. Some are prime suspects(for a while), others, like the strong man, and the ventriloquist use their talents to help catch the criminal.

This film can be found on a DVD released by Platinum Disc(who do all those fun Great American Westerns). Although it starts out a little scratchy, I was very surprised by the quality of both the sound and the picture. It didn't get a total restoration, but a very decent view, and the film plays completely through with no breaks between the chapters. There are 3 other films of Wayne's included on this DVD. "Rainbow Valley", "His Private Secretary", and "Paradise Canyon", all from the 30's, and they do show their age). The DVD is simply called John Wayne" Enter B0001I2C4I into the DVD search and it will take you there, if you are interested in it. It is also part of a 2 pack John Wayne collection(9 films in total)Enter B0001OGVBM. So lots of choices here.

Witness the early beginnings of a legend in action...and enjoy!....Laurie


4/5 okay, but not as good as Marengo Films previous version
  by C. Falconer (valatie, NY United States)
Marengo Films decided to add back in the chapter stops to this latest version of 'Shadow Of The Eagle', and honestly, I have no idea why. What was a unique move on their part by eliminating the repetitive summaries between each chapter, is now back again...adding an unnecessary 40 minutes more to the viewing time. I'm glad I still have the original version they put out, as this version is just like every other one out there on the market. It's a shame they never put out 'The Hurricane Express' and 'The Three Musketeers' serials without the summary chapters as well. The first version of Marengo Films 'Eagle' is the one that really soars!

5/5 THE NEW IMPROVED PRISTINE VERSION HAS ARRIVED
  by Craig H. Cosgray (DALLAS, TEXAS USA)
MARENGO FILMS IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE NEW VERSION OF THE SHADOW OF THE EAGLE IS AVAILABLE NOW. THE COMPANY RE-MASTERED THE FILM INTO CHAPTER FORMAT IN ADDITION THEY DID ANOTHER SOUND DESIGN, COLOR CORRECTIONS AND NEW CHAPTER CARDS. THIS DVD IS NOW THE BEST VERSION OF THIS SERIAL ON THE MARKET.